IOC, BPCL, HPCL step up fuel quality checks amid social media concerns

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) State run fuel retailers Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) said they have intensified fuel quality inspections across their nationwide retail networks, as they sought to reassure consumers amid concerns over fuel quality circulating on social media. IOC said it conducted nearly 10,000 surprise inspections and more than 8,500 quality tests across its retail outlets over the past week, deploying hundreds of special inspection teams to verify compliance with prescribed quality standards. "Fuel quality is a matter of utmost importance for IndianOil. Every day, our teams work across the country to ensure that customers receive fuel that meets all prescribed quality standards. Regular inspections, surprise checks and scientific testing are carried out as part of a rigorous quality assurance system," the company said in a statement. The company said it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards adulteration, contamination and any violation of fuel quality norms, adding that strict action is taken against dealers if irregularities are detected during inspections or established through customer complaints. BPCL said it carried out 932 surprise inspections across retail outlets between July 3 and July 13. Its Quality Control Cell conducted another 111 inspections, while the Quality Assurance Department undertook 50 surprise sampling and on-site testing exercises through its mobile laboratory network. The company said the exercise found "no cases of adulteration, contamination, critical irregularities or compliance lapses" across the retail outlets covered during the reporting period. HPCL said it conducted 2,173 surprise inspections between July 7 and July 13 to verify compliance with ethanol blending norms, in addition to 1,385 routine inspections undertaken between July 3 and July 13. Its Quality Assurance Cell also carried out 93 surprise inspections and tested 49 fuel samples using mobile laboratories. The surveillance programme found "no instances of adulteration, contamination, critical irregularities, or quality compliance lapses across the retail network during the reporting period," HPCL said. The three companies said they maintain multi-layer quality assurance systems involving field inspections, surprise checks, laboratory testing and continuous monitoring to ensure fuels supplied through their retail networks meet prescribed quality standards. They also urged customers to report fuel quality concerns through official customer service channels rather than relying on unverified social media posts. PTI ANZ ANZ MR